Speaking of getting the word out...http://www.fema.gov/about/structure.shtm will bring you to the FEMA Directory. Here you will find email addresses and street addresses as well as names of key personnel.

A quick summary of your whistle alarm and its key advantage over traditional siren systems, along with links to your online testing, would be a start.

Under the "seeing is believing" heading, consider a CD or flash drive recording of both your whistle and a warning siren. Played with the same speaker volume, which is heard loudest outside an office? Sort of a "live" demonstration of the principals at work.

Think in terms of one page, with all the important ways of contacting you for more information.

If you want to take it a step further, build a mobile prototype and visit the various FEMA regional offices. Don't knock on their doors, whistle from the parking lot. I am sure you will be noticed, and if you don't mind the initial inconvenience of the security response you just might wake up the right people. Let me know if you need help with Region VI. Its relatively close to me.

One of the things that struck me in looking at teh page Richard was >Many communities havesought to use PDM funds to purchase warning systems such as sirens to protect their citizensagainst sudden disasters. FEMA considers such alert notification systems as eligible underdisaster preparedness grants but not under the PDM program. Similarly, FEMA has previouslydetermined that the purchase of stand-alone generators is a preparedness effort to address thelikely results of a disaster rather than mitigating its effect. One exception is the purchase ofgenerators that will power a mitigation effort. For example, a generator providing power toactivate hurricane storm shutters would be eligible. Generators that provide power for criticalpublic facilities may also be eligible.

Do you supply pre-composed grant applications for the community/organization to receive funding?

I really like the idea of a mobile unit for parking lot demonstrations. Use it as a horn on an 18 wheeler?

I've written to FEMA a number of times and have never gotten so much as a reply back. Thomas Edison once said that invention is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. I find that simply getting the word out about your invention is by far the hardest part.

It seems to take more than having a warning device that outperforms existing warning sirens to make FEMA notice. I'm hoping that the websites and blogs will stir up some interest so that they will notice.

It will take a paradigm shift in their way of thinking for them to finally realize that there is actually a better alternative, as sirens have been the standard for large scale warning applications for over 60 years. Recent news stories have proven current siren technology has outlived its usefulness in reaching the indoor population. The high pitch tones current sirens use just don't carry well over distance or penetrate outer walls of buildings. That's where my device would really excel.

The most overlooked opportunities are in the learning of and improvement in old technologies.Richard Weisenberger